Saint Marinus was a soldier of the idol worshipers Emperor Valerian (253-259) and his son Gallienus (260-268). Saint Marinus was more of a Christian than a soldier. When a centurion vacated the Roman army, Saint Marinus and another soldier begged for it. St. Marinus was the first. The other envious soldier saw this and suggested that the ‘centurion’ should be sacrificed to the emperor. When the king heard this, the emperor asked the saint to pray to the god of the idol worshipers and offer them to their god, but the saint refused.
The saint openly denied that he was a Christian and refused to sacrifice. He was given three hours to change his mind, but the saint spent the whole time with the bishop of Theotokinus, contemplating the sacred texts inside the temple. Even after three hours, the Holy See did not change his decision. As a result, the saint was beheaded in Caesarea Philippi after a series of vicious tortures.
St. Asterius was present during the persecution of Marinus. After the execution of the saint, Saint Asterius untied his senatorial garment and spread it on the ground, wrapping Saint Marinus’ body and head with it, and burying the remains in his shoulders. Because of this, Saint Asterius was condemned to death, and in 260 he was beheaded.
